A blog about modernist home design, stock house plans, custom house plans, energy efficient design, green building, current and past projects and just about anything else related to modern residential design.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

I am changing our business model from primarily Design to a Design/Build structure. It has been a few years since I owned a construction company, but I see several advantages to offering General Contracting services to my clients today as well as in the future. I will only be able to offer these services in the Lawrence/Kansas City area.

I feel that there is a great advantage in being able to work directly with my design clients during construction and to see the home progress through completion. I also feel that having direct control of construction will allow me to better guide the building process and achieve an improved result. Not that most contractors could not adequately complete a design, they just may not be quite as attuned to the aesthetic, sustainability and energy efficiency aspects that are the overall goal. We will be offering GC services for new construction of our designs and possibly for some modernist remodeling.

Being the general contractor will give me more control over the build quality and the sustainability aspects of the home. Some of this will come from oversight of critical issues such as framing and insulation while other advantages can be achieved through careful selection of building materials and suppliers. Simply watching what is discarded as waste and what is recycled can make a big difference.

I will be offering general contracting services on a cost-plus basis only. With a cost-plus model, the client can be more involved in selecting materials and finishes while at the same time have a complete understanding of their costs. I feel this method offers the client the best of both worlds and should save them on the total cost of their home. More details may be available on our service page: www.clemdesign.com/Services.html.

So, hopefully in the near future, we will be able to provide information about a local Design/Build project.